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Discussion Paper Details

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Title: Social Media and Xenophobia: Evidence from Russia

Author(s): Leonardo Bursztyn, Georgy Egorov, Ruben Enikolopov and Maria Petrova

Publication Date: June 2020

Keyword(s): Hate crime, Russia, social media and Xenophobia

Programme Area(s): Public Economics

Abstract: We study the causal effect of social media on ethnic hate crimes and xenophobic attitudes in Rus- sia and the mechanisms underlying this effect, using quasi-exogenous variation in social media penetration across cities. Higher penetration of social media led to more hate crimes in cities with a high pre-existing level of nationalist sentiment. Consistent with a mechanism of coordination of crimes, the effects are stronger for crimes with multiple perpetrators. Using a national survey experiment, we also find evidence of a mechanism of persuasion: social media led individuals (especially young, male, and less-educated ones) to hold more xenophobic attitudes.

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Bibliographic Reference

Bursztyn, L, Egorov, G, Enikolopov, R and Petrova, M. 2020. 'Social Media and Xenophobia: Evidence from Russia'. London, Centre for Economic Policy Research. https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=14877